Pretoria – A 25-year-old North West man, Gopolang Moilwa, has been sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment by the Atamelang Regional Court after being convicted of the rape and murder of his aunt.
“Gopolang Moilwa was sentenced for the rape and murder of his 45-year-old aunt, Keshwalegile Jane Molehe. The crime was committed on Sunday, October 10, 2021,” SAPS North West spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani said.
At the time of the incident, Moilwa was drinking alcohol with his aunt and her boyfriend at a shebeen in Kgothu Section, Setlagole.
While the trio where on their way home, an argument began between Moilwa and his aunt’s boyfriend.
That was after Moilwa attempted to rape his aunt, Funani said. The aunt’s boyfriend ran away after Moilwa threatened to stab him with a knife.
“Consequently, Molehe was raped and strangled, and her body was found in the bushes the following day after being spotted by passers-by who alerted the police.”
Following investigations, Moilwa was arrested and charged with rape and murder.
He has been kept behind bars since his arrest in October 2021.
This week, Moilwa was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in jail for rape and 15 years for murder.
“The convict was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000,” said Funani.
North West police commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena applauded the police at Setlagole, particularly the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Mbulelo Isake.
Kwena also saluted other role-players including the prosecution for securing the jail term for Moilwa.
IOL